Liverpool fans are waking up to the news that they’ve reached an agreement with Feyenoord for the appointment of Arne Slot.
The Dutch coach emerged as Liverpool’s choice to succeed Jurgen Klopp over the course of the week. Talks moved swiftly and things are now reportedly sealed.
An official announcement is expected before Monday and as many as three of Slot’s backroom team will reportedly follow him from Feyenoord.
In the meantime, talk will now turn to how the hiring of the 45-year-old will affect Liverpool’s first-team squad. There could be plenty of change afoot.
For their part, the Reds players have reportedly reacted with ‘delight‘ at the news that Slot will be taking over. And now, it has been claimed that one player in particular is ready to kick on under the new boss.
Ryan Gravenberch ready to step up at Liverpool
Slot has plenty on his to do list when he finally arrives at Anfield. As the past few weeks have shown, this is a Liverpool team still in need of some tweaking.
One of the questions he’ll have to answer is whether the midfield is in sufficient shape without any further additions.
Although they’ve coped well for most of the season, the middle of the pitch has looked a little ragged of late for the Reds. Wataru Endo has struggled, while Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have dipped off a touch, too.
One of those to have regained some form has been Ryan Gravenberch. However, it hasn’t been a great debut season overall for the 21-year-old, with rumours that he could leave after just one year.
With the new manager being a fellow Dutchman though, German journalist Florian Plettenberg has taken to X to report that Gravenberch is happy and ready to prove himself at Liverpool.
“Ryan Gravenberch currently has no intention of leaving Liverpool in the summer!” Plettenberg claims. “A move to Turkey is not planned. He feels comfortable at LFC and wants to prove himself under the new coach in the upcoming season.”
Can Gravenberch kick on at Liverpool
It’s great to hear that Gravenberch has no plans to leave Liverpool. Not 22 until next month, the Netherlands international still has loads to offer.
Taken in isolation, it really hasn’t been a bad year for Gravenberch either. No, he hasn’t been as effective as maybe had been hoped, but he’s done fine on the whole.
A year older and with a year’s experience at the club under his belt, the former Ajax youngster should be primed to kick things up a notch.
If he can do that, then Gravenberch has all the tools to become one of the best midfielders in the game.
Klopp could never quite coax that out of him. But as he becomes a more senior player, hopefully Slot can.